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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
yesterday named Kunle Odidi of the Labour Party as the winner of
Saturday’s bye-election into Ilaje state constituency II election in
Ilaje local government area of Ondo State.

Mr. Odidi polled 8,777 votes to beat Otitoju Atikase
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 6907 votes in a
fiercely contested election.

The seat became vacant following the sack of the PDP
candidate by the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, Edo State. The
Court of Appeal upheld the verdict of the lower tribunal which had
sacked Mr.Atikase.

This will be the third bye-election the ruling party
in the state will win since Olusegun Mimiko took over the mantle of
leadership last year. The party had earlier won bye-elections in Akure
North State Constituency and Akoko South East/West Federal Constituency.

While declaring the result of the election around
early yesterday, INEC returning officer in Ilaje local government,
Stephen Ojo said the Labour candidate was the winner of the keenly
contested election.

Further breakdown of the election showed that PDP scored 829 votes in Aheri ward while Labour polled 1,326.

PDP had 485 in Etikan ward, while LP scored 490, and
in Mahin ward, PDP had 249, LP, 2,425; Mahin ward II, PDP-1717;
LP-2,634; Mahin ward III, PDP-1,203, LP, 1,968 and Mahin ward IV, PDP
scored 183 as against LP,

204.

Elections however did not hold in some wards and units in Mahintedo, as unknown gunmen attacked about 20 staff of the INEC.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party in the state
has called for the cancellation of the election which it described as a
daylight robbery. The party said it was rejecting the outcome of the
election because the result was not the true reflection of peoples’
wishes.

The PDP also said it was ready to challenge the
result at the tribunal, urging the president of the court of Appeal to
urgently constitute the election petition tribunal to entertain the
cases of fraud perpetrated by the LP during the bye election.

Mixed reactions

The party, at a press conference addressed by former
commissioner of information in the state, Eddy Olafeso, accused the
police of colluding with the ruling party to rig the bye-election.

Mr Olafeso lamented that the police that was supposed
to be an unbiased empire suddenly became the accomplice of the Labour
Party in the rigging spree.

“In view of the abnormalities, the PDP rejects the
result in totality as it does not reflect the wishes of the people. We
hereby call on the president of the Court of Appeal to constitute the
election petition tribunal to entertain our petition,” he said. “We
also condemn in strong terms the activities of some policemen during
the election. In fact, the police has turned themselves into a catalyst
for the successful rigging of all re-run elections in Ondo state”.

The party also indicted the Administrative Secretary of INEC for colluding with the ruling party to manipulate the bye-election.

“We condemn the activities of the administrative
Secretary of INEC for perverting justice by showing bias by openly
identifying with the Labour Party in violation of the electoral act by
replacing the returning officer with Assistant Director at INEC right
in the middle of the collation process,” Mr Olafeso said.

The state government has, however, commended the
sense of duty and responsibility shown by some officers of the Nigerian
Police and other law enforcement agents who ensured that the election
was successful.

The State Information Commissioner, Ranti Akerele
said the Labour party won the election because the people of the state,
particularly the people in Ilaje constituency, are focused on the
continuing efforts to receive democratic dividends.

“The Labour Party controlled government of Ondo State has always
known that in any free and fair election held in the state, it would
come out tops, defeating the feeble efforts of the dying PDP in Ondo
State,” he said. “Saturday’s election in more than one way showed the
commitment of the people of Ondo State to the Labour Party and the
government of Olusegun Mimiko and the rejection of the deep purse and
violent ways of the Ondo State PDP.” The PDP had suffered major
setbacks in the state in the last few months with massive decampment of
members of the party to the Labour party.